Yardbarker: College Football Rumors and Gossiphttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football
Recent rumors and gossip about College Footballen-usNFL team reportedly hired P.I. to follow Baker MayfieldBaker Mayfield is one of the most polarizing prospects in this year’s deep quarterback draft class, and at least one team is not going to take a chance on the former Oklahoma star without knowing exactly what is going on in his personal life.Robert Klemko of The MMQB reports that one NFL team hired a private investigator to tail Mayfield around recently, and Mayfield was tipped off about it.Later on Tuesday, Mayfield received an alert from a trusted source that he had a tail in Norman. A private investigator, he was told, was tracking his movements on behalf of a team. The MMQB was unable to verify the identity of that team, but it should come as no surprise that any NFL franchise considering a (minimum) four-year commitment and tens of millions of dollars to a 22-year-old might like to know how he spends nights near his old stomping grounds.There’s no denying Mayfield’s play-making ability, but his character has been called into question because of a public intoxication arrest last year and some questionable16 Mar 2018 12:03:28 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nfl_team_reportedly_hired_private_investigator_to_follow_baker_mayfield/s1_127_25957688
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nfl_team_reportedly_hired_private_investigator_to_follow_baker_mayfield/s1_127_25957688NFL team reportedly hired P.I. to follow Baker Mayfieldhttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nfl_team_reportedly_hired_private_investigator_to_follow_baker_mayfield/s1_127_25957688http://www.yardbarker.com/media/a/e/ae1bbe4e16e9f2cc6ea21d032871f1e5d571379f/top_story/10668547.jpgWatch Bowling Green players fight on beach over spring break in wild videoThe Bowling Green football program is currently in disarray, both on and off the field.Not only did the team finish last season with a 2-10 record, but the players are already getting off to a bad start this spring.A number of Bowling Green football players were involved in a brawl on the beach in Miami, and things got quite ugly, as you can see. It will be interesting to see what sort of discipline comes as a result. 14 Mar 2018 19:35:28 -0400http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_bowling_green_players_fight_on_beach_over_spring_break_in_wild_video/s1_12740_25944278
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_bowling_green_players_fight_on_beach_over_spring_break_in_wild_video/s1_12740_25944278Watch Bowling Green players fight on beach over spring break in wild videohttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_bowling_green_players_fight_on_beach_over_spring_break_in_wild_video/s1_12740_25944278http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/c/9cc252fe5c8d271eda30fc8569b076755046520b/top_story/GettyImages-862648716.jpg15 NFL prospects with most to gain at Pro DaysThe 2018 NFL Combine in Indianapolis has officially come and gone, and draft boards have been substantially shaken up due to the overall results. But that doesn’t necessarily mean anything is set in stone. Professional scouts will have one more opportunity to put a watchful eye on NFL Draft prospects.Already underway, college Pro Days will provide one final opportunity for draft hopefuls to put on a display, improve their stock, and prove to the NFL decision-makers that they have what it takes to succeed at the next level.Here’s a look at 15 NFL prospects with the most to gain at their respective Pro Days.15. Durham Smythe, TE, Notre DameAt 6-foot-5, 253 pounds and with big hands, Durham Smythe fits the bill of a talented and dominant tight end. Unfortunately, Smythe’s lack of college production (24 catches for 356 yards and five touchdowns total the last two seasons) meant he needed to put up big numbers during athleticism testing at the NFL Combine. That did not happen and, instead, Smythe ranked near the b10 Mar 2018 10:29:59 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/15_nfl_prospects_with_most_to_gain_at_pro_days/s1_127_25904045
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/15_nfl_prospects_with_most_to_gain_at_pro_days/s1_127_2590404515 NFL prospects with most to gain at Pro Dayshttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/15_nfl_prospects_with_most_to_gain_at_pro_days/s1_127_25904045http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/6/062951d0948c312511a3f6a8243c1c71e08b1568/top_story/10671344.jpgMike Leach being sued by former player over dismissalWashington State head coach Mike Leach is being sued by a former player who alleges that the coach enforces team rules inconsistently.Zaire Webb, a freshman defensive back, was dismissed from the team in October along with freshman wide receiver Anthony White Jr. for alleged theft at a Walmart. They were accused of trying to steal $225 worth of merchandise by not paying for all the items in their cart and were cited for third-degree theft. The charge against Webb was dismissed in December.The two were kicked off the team and lost their scholarships the day after the alleged theft because they violated one of Leach’s three rules: don’t do drugs, don’t steal, and don’t hit a woman.But in his lawsuit, Webb says Leach is selective about when he chooses to enforce the three rules.According to KXLY, the suit cites Logan Tago, who is still on the team despite mugging a teammate for beer; Daquawn Brown, who remained on the team despite pleading guilty to a domestic violence charge; and Grant Porter, who remains on th09 Mar 2018 17:31:03 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/mike_leach_being_sued_by_former_player_over_dismissal/s1_127_25900277
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/mike_leach_being_sued_by_former_player_over_dismissal/s1_127_25900277Mike Leach being sued by former player over dismissalhttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/mike_leach_being_sued_by_former_player_over_dismissal/s1_127_25900277http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/6/86927e0607b6404292606e5d574e9f6610debb77/top_story/10502456.jpgFlorida bill that includes UCF ‘National Champions’ license plate unanimously passesThe state of Florida isn’t going to let this go any time soon, it it? As you likely know, the UCF Knights finished their 2017 college football season undefeated but were brutally snubbed by the College Football Playoff selection committee, which ranked them No. 8 at the end of the season.The school has hung a National Championship banner in protest, and Florida Governor Rick Scott issued a statement recognizing the program as the national champs, too.Then on Monday, the state’s House of Representatives passed a bill that included a commemorative UCF “National Champions” licence plate unanimously passed, 113-0. Obviously, none of this will actually change history. But it goes to show just how strongly people in Florida feel their team should have been given a chance to compete against the best of the best for the national title.What’s really great is that at least one player from the team that actually did win the title thinks UCF should have been given a chance. Hopefully this results in a changed format in t05 Mar 2018 21:17:47 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/florida_bill_that_includes_ufc_8216national_champions_8217_license_plate_unanimously_passes/s1_12680_25865576
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/florida_bill_that_includes_ufc_8216national_champions_8217_license_plate_unanimously_passes/s1_12680_25865576Florida bill that includes UCF ‘National Champions’ license plate unanimously passeshttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/florida_bill_that_includes_ufc_8216national_champions_8217_license_plate_unanimously_passes/s1_12680_25865576http://www.yardbarker.com/media/9/6/967f52f4e92830ae833898b16ddc2662417e69a8/top_story/10453558.jpgRyan Shazier to be honorary captain for OSU spring gameOhio State has its spring game for 2018 scheduled for April 14, and the program has a couple special former Buckeyes coming in as honorary captains. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier is one of them, which is pretty significant given the fact he’s coming back from a devastating back injury that threatens his NFL career.The other player who’ll be coming in for the spring game is Malcolm Jenkins, a safety for the Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles. #GoBucks#DevelopedHerepic.twitter.com/cYM56gLneu— Ohio State Football (@OhioStateFB) March 5, 2018 Shazier played for Ohio State from 2011-13 and was part of the squad that helped Urban Meyer rip off 24 straight wins to open his career with the Buckeyes. He earned First Team All-Big Ten and First Team All-America honors as a junior in 2013 before being selected No. 15 overall by the Steelers.Jenkins played four years in the scarlet and gray. He was a three-time All-Big Ten member and 2008 Jim Thorpe Award winner. Jenkins was taken 14th overall by the Ne05 Mar 2018 16:11:07 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ryan_shazier_to_be_honorary_captain_for_ohio_state_spring_game/s1_12680_25865414
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ryan_shazier_to_be_honorary_captain_for_ohio_state_spring_game/s1_12680_25865414Ryan Shazier to be honorary captain for OSU spring gamehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ryan_shazier_to_be_honorary_captain_for_ohio_state_spring_game/s1_12680_25865414http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/8/884605f5ac0f5110f293b79f55f4bd8ddc70c36d/top_story/10293961.jpgWATCH: Shaquem Griffin blazes through 40 in 4.38 secondsAlready the best story from this weekend in Indianapolis, Shaquem Griffin continued his assault on the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine Sunday with an insanely fast 40 time.Just watch him blaze through this run in an unofficial 4.38 seconds. @ShaquemGriffin just ran a 4.38u 40-yard dash!The fastest LB at the #NFLCombine since 2003. : @Nflnetwork
pic.twitter.com/TKHXVZri4n— NFL (@NFL) March 4, 2018 Griffin already wowed on Saturday by putting up 225 pounds on the bench press 20 times, despite having just one hand (watch here).He’s easily the most inspirational player to come into the NFL this year.Based on the way he’s testing, the way he persevered through very difficult circumstances in his life and the way he dominated on the field the past two years at UCF, Griffin is making a case to be drafted much sooner than people predicted before the combine.04 Mar 2018 14:08:34 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_shaquem_griffin_blazes_through_40_in_438_seconds/s1_12680_25856363
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_shaquem_griffin_blazes_through_40_in_438_seconds/s1_12680_25856363WATCH: Shaquem Griffin blazes through 40 in 4.38 secondshttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/watch_shaquem_griffin_blazes_through_40_in_438_seconds/s1_12680_25856363http://www.yardbarker.com/media/4/9/49370b58a2858738334ab6ba3bfcbb0025ec00ef/top_story/10511596.jpgOhio State players grilled about Iowa loss at CombineBeyond the obvious physical tests, players at the NFL Combine are grilled by teams in interviews to get a sense of their mental fortitude and how they have reacted or would react to certain situations. That includes asking some college players to relive their worst defeats.That means Ohio State players are being asked all about their 55-24 loss at Iowa last November, a game that ultimately kept them from the College Football Playoff.“Every NFL team asks me about the Iowa game,” former Buckeye defensive lineman Jalyn Holmes said Saturday, via Scott Dochterman of Land of 10. “‘What happened?’“I just look at them and I don’t know what happened. I’m still trying to find those answers out. They played the best game of their life. That’s all it is. We didn’t come to play that day. They came to play. I feel they played the best game of their life, and the score showed.”Defensive end Sam Hubbard tried to take a silver lining-based approach to the questioning.“It’s a tough subject and something you’ve got to handle he04 Mar 2018 12:16:37 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ohio_state_players_grilled_about_iowa_loss_at_combine/s1_127_25855817
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ohio_state_players_grilled_about_iowa_loss_at_combine/s1_127_25855817Ohio State players grilled about Iowa loss at Combinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/ohio_state_players_grilled_about_iowa_loss_at_combine/s1_127_25855817http://www.yardbarker.com/media/6/c/6cc6ed82f6caecf88a5bd237d1f770a23914000a/top_story/10669065.jpgOne-armed prospect Shaquem Griffin dominates combineA lot was made of former Central Florida linebacker Shaquem Griffin not initially being invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. Here’s a dude that racked up 33.5 tackles for loss and 18.5 sacks over the past two seasons. He’s a legitimate prospect to play multiple positions at the next level.There’s one caveat here. Griffin has only one arm. It makes him a difficult prospect to analyze, primarily because the use of both arms is pretty much needed to play football at a high level. Griffin has proven naysayers wrong at every turn.And he didn’t stop at the combine itself Saturday in Indianapolis. Below, you will see the star linebacker put up 20 reps on the bench press with a prosthetic left arm. #NFLCombine@UCF_Football : @nflnetwork
pic.twitter.com/fHS0b4Eb0s— NFL (@NFL) March 3, 2018 That’s some absolutely amazing stuff right there.It should push Griffin to the mid rounds of the draft. There had been some question about his strength. Saturday’s performance pretty much ends any debate regarding t03 Mar 2018 20:40:41 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/one_armed_prospect_shaquem_griffin_dominates_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25850360
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/one_armed_prospect_shaquem_griffin_dominates_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25850360One-armed prospect Shaquem Griffin dominates combinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/one_armed_prospect_shaquem_griffin_dominates_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25850360http://www.yardbarker.com/media/8/1/81491c16135a54e185512b3c5d17009b56392ad7/top_story/10511596.jpgNick Saban open to playing two quarterbacks in 2018Nick Saban may have an ideal “problem” on his hands entering the college football season.Saban has two excellent quarterbacks on the roster. First, there’s Jalen Hurts, under whom the team has lost just two games in two seasons. He threw for 17 touchdowns and just one interception while rushing for eight scores last season. Then there’s Tua Tagovailoa, a dangerous dual-threat quarterback who entered the national championship game after halftime and led Alabama to victory over Georgia.Saban told ESPN’s Chris Low on Thursday that he could see the team finding roles for both quarterbacks next season.The most important thing is to play the best guy, and if both guys can play winning football, it’s not out of the question that we’ll find a role for both guys in fairness to both guys,” Saban told ESPN. “I don’t know that there’s any more to it than that.Saban has told both quarterbacks there will be an open competition for the starting job and that both will have a chance to win it.Based on what we saw in the title02 Mar 2018 21:10:33 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nick_saban_open_to_playing_two_quarterbacks/s1_127_25844726
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nick_saban_open_to_playing_two_quarterbacks/s1_127_25844726Nick Saban open to playing two quarterbacks in 2018http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/nick_saban_open_to_playing_two_quarterbacks/s1_127_25844726http://www.yardbarker.com/media/5/5/55d11202ffacab2bb46686b0e8141fb8b7c56bfb/top_story/GettyImages-900394458.jpgSaquon Barkley turns heads with combine performanceSaquon Barkley was already a lock to be one of the first players off the board at the NFL Draft prior to the Scouting Combine, and the former Penn State star has certainly done nothing to hurt his stock.Simply put, Barkley put on a show in Indianapolis. After he repped 225 pounds 29 times in the bench press on Thursday, Barkley wowed scouts with a 41-inch vertical and 4.41 40-yard dash on Friday. For a 233-pound back who runs with power, those numbers are incredible. Here’s some context: Most mock drafts have Barkley going as high as No. 2 to the New York Giants, and now we see where those predictions come from. While many people still believe there is no running back worth using a top-five pick on in today’s NFL, there’s no reason Barkley can’t make the same type of impact Ezekiel Elliott has made.02 Mar 2018 21:10:04 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/saquon_barkley_turns_heads_with_vertical_40_yard_dash_time/s1_127_25842377
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/saquon_barkley_turns_heads_with_vertical_40_yard_dash_time/s1_127_25842377Saquon Barkley turns heads with combine performancehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/saquon_barkley_turns_heads_with_vertical_40_yard_dash_time/s1_127_25842377http://www.yardbarker.com/media/c/7/c7a7414a19eb194f09ff80c0be19a8fccb497093/top_story/10669830.jpgBo Scarbrough: UCF should have reached College Football PlayoffThe UCF Knights football team completed an undefeated season but didn’t even get a chance in the College Football Playoff.Bo Scarbrough, the running back for the eventual National Champion Alabama Crimson Tide, feels that UCF should have had a chance.“I think they should have had an opportunity in the playoff because they didn’t lose a game just like any of these teams that had one loss,” he said, per Michael Casagrande of AL.com. “I still think they should have had an opportunity but it is what it is. They had no control over it.”In hindsight, it’s easy for a member of the Crimson Tide to make this point.Still, it’s important to remember that while Alabama obviously validated itself as a playoff worthy team, it was the most controversial selection of the four one-loss teams that made the playoffs. While Clemson, Oklahoma and Georgia all won their conference championships, the Tide didn’t even reach the SEC Championship Game. As such, the Knights making the playoffs likely would have kept the eventual champs 01 Mar 2018 18:34:53 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/bo_scarbrough_ucf_should_have_reached_college_football_playoff/s1_12680_25835990
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/bo_scarbrough_ucf_should_have_reached_college_football_playoff/s1_12680_25835990Bo Scarbrough: UCF should have reached College Football Playoffhttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/bo_scarbrough_ucf_should_have_reached_college_football_playoff/s1_12680_25835990http://www.yardbarker.com/media/d/5/d54f837e47d132120406cc0209253cbcd09c4583/top_story/10512654.jpgTop 13 players to watch Saturday at 2018 NFL Scouting CombineEvery day is important during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, but Saturday is particularly exciting. Quarterbacks, wide receivers and tight ends will be hitting the field at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis to show off their speed, agility, explosion and skill.Of course, the main attraction is this year’s crop of quarterbacks. But in today’s NFL you need dynamic receiving threats to get anywhere, too.So, who will we be watching Saturday at the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine? These players are at the top of the list.Courtland Sutton, wide receiver, SMUThis young man looks the part of an NFL No. 1 receiver. On Thursday he measured in at 6-foot-3 3/8 and 218 pounds, which is similar to the size of Clemson’s Mike Williams, selected No. 7 overall last year. Sutton also has some serious production under his belt at the collegiate level, having caught 195 passes for 3,220 yards and 31 touchdowns at Southern Methodist.Even better, Sutton has a knack for converting 50-50 balls, which means he’s very good at beating defende01 Mar 2018 18:16:00 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_13_players_to_watch_saturday_at_2018_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25835756
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_13_players_to_watch_saturday_at_2018_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25835756Top 13 players to watch Saturday at 2018 NFL Scouting Combinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_13_players_to_watch_saturday_at_2018_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25835756http://www.yardbarker.com/media/0/b/0bf71958cef77a2a12e6876ab8df2afca71d7073/top_story/9769295.jpgOrlando Brown puts up a stinker at NFL Scouting CombineFormer Oklahoma All-American Orlando Brown is expected to be a first-round pick in April’s NFL Draft. Here’s a dude that comes in at 6-foot-8 and 360 pounds. He’s an absolute behemoth and someone we are all interested in watching at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis this week.But even before players took to the field for drills, Brown disappointed the masses in a big way. He put up just 14 reps on the bench press during Thursday’s weightlifting session. That’s bad. Really, really bad. To put this into perspective, guard prospect Will Hernandez dropped 37 reps during his bench press on Thursday. It’s also important to note that no offensive tackle prospect has been drafted in the first round since 1987 after putting up 14 or fewer bench reps at the combine. For those of you who don’t follow the annual dog-and-pony show, this is some pretty big news. It will surely have wide-ranging ramifications once the 2018 NFL Draft is held in April. It’s now highly unlikely Brown will find himself as a first-round p01 Mar 2018 15:52:48 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_offensive_tackle_orlando_brown_puts_up_a_stinker_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25834748
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_offensive_tackle_orlando_brown_puts_up_a_stinker_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25834748Orlando Brown puts up a stinker at NFL Scouting Combinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/top_offensive_tackle_orlando_brown_puts_up_a_stinker_at_nfl_scouting_combine/s1_12680_25834748http://www.yardbarker.com/media/e/3/e36a8ec23a9b906fd2944dea917458fac52594a8/top_story/10535558.jpgReport: Sam Darnold will not throw at NFL combineThe NFL Scouting Combine usually allows scouting departments to get a close look at prized quarterbacks, but Sam Darnold has decided not to throw in Indianapolis.ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the news, saying Darnold will instead focus on athletic testing and interviews. Schefter added Darnold will throw at USC’s Pro Day on March 21.So, is this a big deal or not?Really, the answer depends on the year. Sometimes, none of the top prospects do. When that’s the case, there isn’t a big concern. However, Oklahoma’s Baker Mayfield, UCLA’s Josh Rosen and Wyoming’s Josh Allen all plan to throw, per NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport.Darnold must be prepared to explain why he chose not to. The combine is a chance for competition, and NFL executives certainly don’t want to feel the USC product is shying away from that.As a potential No. 1 overall pick, eyeballs would already be drawn to Darnold. He’ll be dealing with extra attention now.27 Feb 2018 10:33:38 -0500http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/report_sam_darnold_will_not_throw_at_nfl_combine/s1_12680_25815158
http://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/report_sam_darnold_will_not_throw_at_nfl_combine/s1_12680_25815158Report: Sam Darnold will not throw at NFL combinehttp://www.yardbarker.com/college_football/articles/report_sam_darnold_will_not_throw_at_nfl_combine/s1_12680_25815158http://www.yardbarker.com/media/3/3/33e772524bb4f76d2ee9cb6c3ce5935593c486b5/top_story/10504666.jpg